Santa Clara County
Biographies
PROCTOR RANDOLPH WELLS
As one of the earliest settlers of Santa Clara county Proctor Randolph Wells, of San Jose, has been actively identified with its upbuilding, and his many interesting pioneer experiences are largely associated with the early history of the Santa Clara valley. He is of Puritan stock, and comes of a long line of honored English ancestors. The family from which he is lineally descended was established in England in the year 1200, and for many generations was one of prominence in Great Britain. The family crest is a mailed hand clasping a drawn simitar (sic), while the motto, which is emblematic of the crest, is “Pro Deo, et Patria,” meaning “For God and Country.” The founder of the American family of Wells was one Thomas Wells, from whom the line of descent is thus traced: (1) Thomas, (2) Hugh, (3) Thomas, (4) Ebenezer, (5) Joshua, (6) Ebenezer, (7) Seth, (8) Morris, and (9) Proctor Randolph.
Thomas Wells (1) was born in London, England, in 1570. After his marriage, in 1596, he removed to Essex county, England, where his seven sons were born. Joining the band of Puritans, he immigrated to this country in 1629, settling in Massachusetts, and six of his sons subsequently followed him to New England.
Hugh Wells (2), a native of Essex county, England, came to America in the sailing vessel The Globe in 1635. In 1636, with the party of colonists commanded by Thomas Hooker and John Haynes, he settled in Hartley, now Hartford, Conn. Subsequently removing to Wethersfield, now Glastonbury, Conn., he resided there until his death, in 1645. His widow, Frances Wells, survived him many years, dying in March, 1698.
Thomas Wells (3) was fifteen years old when he came with his parents from Essex county, England, to Massachusetts. Moving from Wethersfield, Conn., to Hadley, Mass., in 1659, he was one of the “engagers” to settle that town. He died in October, 1676, leaving a large property, consisting of land in Hadley and Wethersfield, and also a house and lands in England. In 1651 he married Mary, daughter of William Beardsley, of Hadley, Mass. She survived him, marrying for her second husband, S. Belding, and died September 20, 1691, aged sixty years.
Ebenezer Wells (4) was born in Hadley, Mass., July 20, 1669. On attaining his majority he was given a grant of land, composed of the home lot and twenty acres, on Green river, and there took up his residence. December 4, 1690, he married Mary, daughter of Sergeant Benjamin Waite, of Hadley, who was an officer in the Pequod war. They subsequently returned to Hadley, where both spent their declining years.
Joshua Wells (5), born August 31, 1695, became a citizen of prominence in Green River, Mass., where he spent his entire life, dying April 21, 1768. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Ebenezer Conrad, and she, too outlived him, dying May 2, 1773, aged seventy-six years. Of their union fourteen children were born, and one of these, Isaiah by name, settled in Boston and served in the Revolutionary war as one of the minute-men.
Ebenezer Wells (6) was born on Green river, May 16, 1723. He settled first in Greenfield, Mass., where he became a citizen of great influence. In the Revolutionary war he served as an officer, being captain of a company in the Fourth Connecticut Infantry. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Ebenezer Field, and both passed the closing years of their lives in Deerfield, Mass., her death occurring June 11, 1774, and his May 17, 1787.
Seth Wells (7) was born October 24, 1768, in Deerfield, Mass. March 20, 1791, he married Polly Smith, who was born March 30, 1775. They began their married life in Northampton, Mass., but afterwards moved to Cayuga county, N.Y., and from there to Geneseo, Livingston county, N.Y. Following the march of civilization westward, they migrated to the territory of Michigan in 1817, settling in Summerfield, Monroe county, where he died, November 22, 1828, his body being buried in Monroe, Mich. His widow subsequently removed to Monroe, Mich., where her death occurred, December 28, 1847. They were the parents of ten children.
Morris Wells (8), born in Northampton, Mass., February 26, 1799, was brought up in New York
state, and when eighteen years old accompanied his parents to Michigan, and was engaged in farming in Monroe county until his death, December 26, 1837. He was twice married, his first wife, Jerusha Lawrence, dying without issue. His second wife was Annie Burch, who was born in Connecticut, the daughter of Ethel Burch, a farmer. She died in Hollister, Cal, aged sixty-three years. Six children were born of their marriage, namely: Marvin, born June 3, 1827, died November 23, 1864; Dudley, born September 24, 1829, a ranchman, resides near Lawrence, Cal.; Stillman, born December 24, 1830, lives in Hollister, Cal.; Mrs. Jane Baker resides in Ottawa Lake, Mich.; Proctor Randolph is the subject of this biographical sketch; and Mrs. Jerusha Tennant resides in Hollister, Cal.
Proctor Randolph Wells (9) received his early education in the district schools of Michigan, residing on the old homestead farm until fifteen years old. Going then to Petersburg, Monroe county, he served an apprenticeship of three years and three months at the carpenter's trade, with Stephen Wells. He subsequently took a contract for erecting a schoolhouse in that place, and when it was completed, in the fall of 1855, went to Illinois, locating in Jonesboro, Union county, where, in the employ of Mr. Leavenworth, he assisted in building bridges and trestle work on the Illinois Central Railroad. At the end of six months Mr. Wells started for home, going by way of Cincinnati and Cleveland to Blissfield, Lenawee county, Mich., and while en route saw the noted Kentucky giant, Mr. Porter, who was seven feet and eight inches in height, and was engaged in mercantile business in Louisville, Ky. After working at his trade in Blissfield during the summer of 1856, Mr. Wells went to Kalamazoo, Mich., where he helped build the Dodge foundry. The following winter he attended school in Blissfield, and in the spring of 1857 resumed work as a contractor. March 16, 1858, he started to New York City, where, March 20, 1858, he took passage on the steamer Star of the West for Aspinwall. Crossing to Panama he boarded the steamer Golden Gate, on which before reaching San Francisco there was an insurrection amounting almost to a mutiny. After disembarking Mr. Wells started on foot for Calaveras, and April 28, while walking quietly along, with gripsack and overcoat, he was attacked by wild cattle, who came very near him, but whom he at first could scare away by swinging out his gripsack, although they came back in quadrupled numbers. Just as he was nearing the valley, his predicament was seen by Mr. Stuart, who quickly jumped upon a horse, and rode rapidly toward him, calling to him to climb a tree, and who afterwards explained to Mr. Wells that these wild Spanish cattle would have killed him, although they were so easily frightened away by the approach of a horse.
Purchasing a small tract of land in the valley, Mr. Wells fenced it in, and began improving a ranch. Wild beasts were then numerous and the terror of the pioneers. One night as he was going home, he spied a large California lion lying on the limb of a tree which he was just about to pass under. He was but seven yards distant from the beast, and thoughts of home, of his mother, and of the ginger cookies that she used to make when he was a boy passed through his mind. His blood stopped circulating, his pulse ceased to beat, and his heart stood still. When he came to his senses, Mr. Wells began to walk backward, continuing for fifteen yards, when he jumped the creek, and went around by the foot-hills for a quarter of a mile, when he again crossed the creek, and made his way to Bulwer. Mr. Bulwer seized his rifle, mounted his blooded horse, and went in pursuit of the lion, which he shot and brought home. The animal was very large, being nine feet and seven inches in length. In the fall of 1858 Mr. Wells assisted in building the Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church in San Jose, and in the spring of 1859, went to Corvallis, Ore., where he followed his trade for awhile. While there, he and two companions had an encounter with a bear that was for a time quite exciting. One of the men, Mr. Heartless, wounded the animal, who gave chase to the other two men, who found refuge in a schoolhouse, which they reached just in the nick of time. The bear was afterwards shot by Mr. Heartless.
Returning to San Jose in the fall of 1859, Mr. Wells has since resided in this locality, his home having been in this city since 1868. He has erected hundreds of residences, business and public buildings in this vicinity, among others of note being the City Hall, the Conservatory of Music connected with the University of the Pacific, the St. James Annex and the Swiegert building. He has also building many houses and business blocks in Arizona and Nevada. He is widely known as a contractor, and has the distinction of being the oldest-established contractor and builder in San Jose or in Santa Clara county.
Mrs. Wells, whose maiden name was Mary Jane Armsby, was born in Hungtington, Mass. Their union has been blessed by the birth of two children, namely: Annie Laura, born December 22, 1867; and Wallace Delbert, born June 8, 1879. The daughter, a graduate of the San Jose State Normal School, is a teacher in Hollister. The son is in business in San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Wells are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Wells is an honorary member of the Santa Clara Country Pioneer Society, and belongs to the Builders' Exchange. Politically he is a Democrat, and fraternally he is a member of the San Jose Lodge No. 10, F. & A.M.; and of Howard Chapter No. 14, R.A.M.
Transcribed
4-1-15 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 500-502. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Marilyn R. Pankey.